Disability and Victimization Resources

Accessibility Resources, Canada, EU, UK, USA, Related Documents

Accessibility Resources

Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education: A project the HTML Writers Guild, their mission is to serve as a central resource for web authors to learn about universal  web accessibility. 

Accessibility Tools for Adobe PDF Documents: This site provides a set of free tools that allow visually disabled users to read documents in Adobe PDF format. These tools convert PDF documents into either HTML or ASCII text which can then be read by many screen reading programs.

CAST - Center for Applied Special Technology: Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST is an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, including those with disabilities.  Of interest to web designers is their WebExact accessibility analysis program.  BOBBY is a free service provided by CAST to help Web page authors identify and repair significant barriers to access by individuals with disabilities. 

Designing More Usable Websites: A very complete and technical listing of accessibility resources and forums, project descriptions, tools and techniques.

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre: Based the University of Toronto, Canada, the ATRC provides a wealth of education materials, special services and links to very useful resources on accessibility software as well as technical information on how to make your website disability accessible.  Highly recommended. 

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): WAI, in coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development.  WAI is a project of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the lead organization developing technical standards for the Internet.

Canada

Abuse of People with Disabilities: Information for Service Providers: Introductory and background information for service providers on the abuse of people with disabilities, including defining abuse, the warning signs, who can abuse, how widespread it is, and what to do when you encounter it. An Adobe Acrobat file.

Ontario Disability Directory for Abused Women: A provincial directory of services for women with disabilities.

European Union

The European Disability Forum: The work of EDF covers all fields of European Union competence and a great number of initiatives. The role of EDF is to monitor all EU initiatives and advocating for legislation to advance the rights of disabled people.

United Kingdom

Voice UK: A national charity supporting people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable people who have experienced crime or abuse. They also support families of victims, carergivers and associated professionals..

Respond - From Hurting to Healing: Respond provides a range of services to both victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse who have learning disabilities and those who have been affected by other trauma. Services extend to support and training for families, carers and professionals.

United States

Abuse and Women with Disabilities: Information on the physical and sexual abuse of women with disabilities.

Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (Washington) : This service profides: advocacy, counseling, a national domestic violence hotline, as well as a positive parenting program and transitional housing program

Americans with Disability Act Home Page: Included is information on the act itself, it's enforcement, technical assistance and links to sites of interest.

Center for Abused Children with Disabilities: This page describes the research program based at Boystown, including a short description of available services.

Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project:  The Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project is a national effort coordinated by the Council of State Governments (CSG) to help local, state, and federal policymakers and criminal justice and mental health professionals improve the response to people with mental illness who become involved in, or are at risk of involvement in, the criminal justice system. The Consensus Project promotes practical, flexible approaches to this issue through educational presentations, technical assistance, and the dissemination of information about programs, research, and policy developments in the field.  The Consensus Project Web site provides access to the Project Report, information about relevant research, statistics, and Web-based resources, and a directory of program profiles from around the country, which allows visitors to communicate with program administrators online. Their Report formed the basis for the creation of this project.

Deaf Abused Women's Network (Washington DC): DAWN serves the deaf, hard-of-hearing and deaf/blind residents of the Washington, D.C metro area who experience DV or SA and their families by providing crisis intervention, advocacy, and resource referral.

Deaf Hope (California) : The purpose of this organisation is to end domestic and sexual violence against deaf women and children through empowerment, education and services. They provide services to deaf women and children who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence; by educating their community and service providers about domestic and sexual violence; and by providing statewide training and technical assistance to establish more deaf-run services for deaf survivors.

Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services: While primarily an advocacy organization, DVAS also provides a point of contact and referral for dear victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Deaf Women of Iowa Against Abuse (Iowa) : This organization provides services to deaf, hard-of-hearing and deaf-blind people and their families who experience domestic violence or sexual assault.

DisabilityInfo.Gov: This Web portal is a directory of government links relevant to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and other community members.

DOVE - Advocacy Services for Abused Deaf Women and Children (Colorado) : DOVE provides culturally appropriate and fully accessible services for deaf, deaf-blind, and hard-of-hearing victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. DOVE works to empower victims by providing 24-hr crisis intervention, information and referral, and advocacy.

Massachusetts Disabled Persons Protection Commission:  The DPPC works to protect adults with disabilities from abusive acts and omissions of their caregivers through investigation, oversight, public awareness and prevention.

Office for Victims of Crime: Victims with Disability Resources: A collection of OVC resources: web pages, text, online documents and videos, dealing with victims of crime with disabilities.

Promising Practices for Serving Crime Victims with Disabilities - Toolkit: This toolkit identifies and addresses the issues and obstacles encountered by people with disabilities who have been victimized or abused. The information provided in this resource and the companion bulletin is intended to function as a guide for organizations seeking to improve their capacity to respond to crime victims with disabilities.

SafePlace Disability Services Program: Disability Services staff provide training on the issue of abuse against individuals with disabilities at sexual assault, disability, and domestic violence conferences throughout the United States. Project staff are also available to provide training and onsite consultation at disability, domestic violence, and rape crisis agencies across the country. Additionally, the National Training and Technical Assistance Project is partnering with three national disability advocacy organizations: American Council of the Blind, The Arc of the United States, and United Cerebral Palsy Association, Inc.. These national partners recommend local affiliates to participate in invitational "Train-the-Trainer" institutes.

Sego Lily Center for Abused Deaf: This center provides services to: deaf survivors; deaf -blind survivors and hard of hearing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Victims of Crime with Disabilities: A Training and Technical Assistance Resource: the Victims of Crime with Disabilities Resource Guide, an online database of programs and products focused on people with disabilities who have been victims of crime. On this site, you will find descriptions of hundreds of resources, which are intended to be helpful to professionals, self advocates and lay persons who need information on the victimization of people with disabilities.

Violence in the Lives of Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A special collection at VAWNet, this material offers information regarding the experiences and needs of individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing and victims/survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. The purpose of this collection is to: 1) increase knowledge and understanding of Deaf culture, 2) provide resources to assist helping professionals in direct service work with Deaf individuals, and 3) highlight best practices.